Fountain pen



A. G. WAHL FOUNTAIN PEN Oct. 18, 1949.

Filed Jan. 16, 1946 BY W Patented Oct. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN PEN Albert G. Wahl, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 16, 1946, Serial No. 641,525

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to fountain pens and has for its principal object, to provide a simple, practical and efficient fountain pen having a point or ink applying element, in the form of a small ball which, during the writing function, bears against anti-friction members, preferably small balls that are adjustably mounted in the distal end of the pen body.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a pen having a point, or ink applying member that will roll freely over the surface being written upon, thus eliminating the undesirable scratching which frequently attends the use of a conventional pen point on paper having a more or less rough surface.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a pen equipped with my improved point.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, In designates the cylindrical body of a pen which may be formed of light weight metal, plastics or the like, said body having a chamber l I which provides an ink reservoir.

Mounted on the upper end of body is a cap I2, carrying a conventional spring clip I3.

Removably in the lower or forward end of the pen body, is a tapered plug [4, having an axial threaded bore l5 and the lower end of this bore communicates with a tapered chamber I6, formed in the terminal portion of said plug.

At the lower end of chamber [6, an aperture I1 is formed through the pointed end of plug l4 and seated in said aperture and projecting partially outward therethrough, is a small ball I8 of hard material, preferably steel. This ball functions as a conventional pen point inasmuch as it traverses the surface of the paper being written up on and applies the ink thereto.

Loosely arranged in chamber 16, and bearing on top of ball 18 is a plurality, preferably three, small balls l9, of hard metal, thus providing a ball bearing for the ink app ing ball 18.

Screw seated in the threaded bore I5 in plug I4 is an externally threaded tube 20, the lower end of which provides a bearing for the balls IS.

The lower inner corner or edge of tubular member 20 is rounded off as designated by 20a, to form a curved bearing face for balls l9.

Tube 20 is adjusted in plus It, so that its lower end is a few thousandths of an inch out of contact with balls l8 and thus the latter are free to rotate as a result of frictional contact with ball I8 as the latter rolls upon the surface of the paper during writing functions.

The small apertures between the balls l9 permit ink to flow directly to the surface of ball [8 and as all balls rotate while the pen is being used, ink will be transferred from the surface of balls l9 to ball l8.

When the pen is positioned vertically with its point down, ball It acts as a ball valve to close aperture ll, thus preventing the leakage of ink from said pen.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a fountain pen that is simple in structure, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

The use of ball as the medium for applying ink to paper while writing entirely eliminates scratching, also the fatigue in the hand and fingers, which frequently attends the use of pens with conventional pen points.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved fountain pen may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In a fountain pen, the combination with a hollow body, of a plug screw seated in the lower end of said hollow body, said plug having an axial threaded bore terminating at its lower end in an aperture of reduced diameter, an internal seat for a ball surrounding said aperture, a ball bearing on said seat, a plurality of balls bearing on top of said ball and a tubular member screw seated in the bore in said plug with its lower end bearing upon and providing a bearing for said plurality of balls.

ALBERT G. WAHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

